Kalanchoe plant named ‘Kerr’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Kerr’, characterized by its numerous multi-petalled soft red-colored flowers; upright, uniform and compact plant habit; freely branching growth habit; medium green-colored glossy leaves; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Kerr’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kerr’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Kalanchoes with multi-petalled flowers.

The new Kalanchoe originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 1999, of the Kalanchoe cultivar Leonardo, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,365, as the female, or seed, parent with the Kalanchoe cultivar Klabat, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,454, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe was selected as a single plant by the Inventor in 2000 in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands from the resultant progeny of the cross-pollination on the basis of its multi-petalled flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by terminal vegetative cuttings taken at De Lier, The Netherlands, since 2000 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Kerr has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kerr’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kerr’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Numerous multi-petalled soft red-colored flowers.     -   2. Upright, uniform and compact plant habit.     -   3. Freely branching growth habit.     -   4. Medium green-colored glossy leaves.     -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Leonardo. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Leonardo primarily in flower color as plants of the new Kalanchoe had soft red-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar Leonardo had red purple-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of the cultivar Leonardo.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Klabat. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Klabat in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Klabat.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had multi-petalled flowers         whereas plants of the cultivar Klabat had four petals per         flower.     -   3. Flower petals of plants of the new Kalanchoe were soft red in         color whereas flower petals of plants of the cultivar Klabat         were orange and yellow-bicolored.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can also be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe cultivar Hayworth (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,699). In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Hayworth in the following charateristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Hayworth.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe had obtuse apices and         bases whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Hayworth had         acute apices and bases.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe were lighter green in         color than leaves of plants of the cultivar Hayworth.     -   4. Flower color of plants of the new Kalanchoe was slightly         lighter than flower color of plants of the cultivar Hayworth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Kerr’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of oridinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and for the description were grown during the autumn in De Lier, The Netherlands, in a glass-covered greenhouse. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20 to 25° C.; night temperatures ranged from 19 to 21° C.; and light levels ranged from 10,000 to 50,000 lux. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 10-cm containers and received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about three weeks; plants then received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were about 15 weeks old from an unrooted cutting when the photograph and the description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Kerr. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar             Leonardo, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,365.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar             Klabat, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,454. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 10 days at 21° C.             Winter: About 14 days at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 21 days at             21° C. Winter: About 28 days at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Numerous; fine; fibrous; greyed white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Upright, uniform and compact plant habit. Very freely             flowering with numerous compound cymes. Inverted triangle             with rounded crown. Appropriate for 10 to 15-cm containers.         -   Crop time.—About 14 to 17 weeks: three to five weeks under             long day/short night conditions followed by 10 to 13 weeks             of short day/long night conditions. Moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 17 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 15 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching; typically five to seven             lateral branches develop per plant. Pinching (removal of             terminal apex) is not required but will enhance lateral             branch development.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 9 to 13 cm.             Diameter: About 2 to 5 cm. Internode length: About 1.5 to             2 cm. Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: 147A.         -   Foliage description.—Leaves simple, opposite, generally             symmetrical. Quantity per plant: About 6 to 9 mature leaves             and 10 to 16 generative leaves. Length: About 9.5 cm. Width:             About 5.5 cm. Shape: Ovate to elliptical. Apex: Obtuse.             Base: Obtuse. Margin: Slightly crenate. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Leathery, smooth, glabrous and succulent.             Color: Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             137A; glossy. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: 137B. Venation, upper surface: 137A. Venation,             lower surface: 137B. Petiole length: About 1.2 cm. Petiole             diameter: About 3 to 7 mm. Petiole color, upper and lower             surfaces: 137A to 137B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Multi-petalled flowers arranged in             compound dichasial cymes that arise from leaf axils. Freely             flowering; more than 25 open flowers per lateral branch and             more than 150 open flowers per plant. Flowering continuously             for at least seven weeks. Flowers persistent. Flowers not             fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe             initiate and develop flowers under short day/long night             conditions or during the late autumn/winter/early spring.             Flower initiation and development can also be induced under             artificial short day/long night conditions (at least 14             hours of darkness).         -   Time to flower.—Under short day/long night photoinductive             conditions, about 10 to 13 weeks are required. Actual time             to flower is primarily dependent upon temperature and light             intensity.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance             for about 41 days under interior environmental conditions.             Individual flowers last about 20 days on the plant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Flower height.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Initially oblong, becoming tubular ovoid             with development. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 6 mm.             Color: Initially, 48C, then 49B with development.         -   Petals.—Quantity: About 24 to 28 per flower arranged in             three to five rows. Length: About 5 to 6.5 mm. Width: about             5 to 6 mm. Aspect: Flat to slightly upright. Shape: Ovate.             Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: 43A; color becoming closer to 43B             with development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: 47B to 49B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: Four fused at base. Length: About 4 mm.             Width: About 1.5 mm. Aspect: Erect. Shape: Oblong. Apex:             Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 137D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 to 8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong, rigid. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: 137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Eight.             Anther shape: Elliptic; flat. Anther length: About 0.3 mm.             Anther color: Close to 150D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Four.             Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: 138D. Stigma shape:             Flat, rounded. Stigma color: 8D. Ovary color: 138D. Seed:             Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.05 mm. Color: Close             to 166C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Kalanchoes. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to tolerate low temperatures of 16° C. and high     temperatures of 35° C. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been observed     to perform well in the garden and are tolerant to rain and wind. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named ‘Kerr’, as illustrated and described. 